Summer Reading

 

“Summer reading” is a phrase that calls to mind relaxing with a book on a porch, at the beach, in a tent or at some lovely vacation spot.  We tend to spend more time outdoors and our books go with us.  We want the same to be true for our children and grandchildren, hoping that they’ll have fond memories of reading one of their childhood favorites by flashlight under the stars (or under the covers).  With some of our children, we can’t imagine them without books in their backpacks or on their bedside tables.  With other children, helping them make reading a habit definitely requires more coaxing.  Sometimes discovering just the right series for those children can launch them into a reading habit.  For both the natural readers in your life and for the ones who need some inspiration, here are some series for younger readers to consider for those special summer reading times.

 

Early Chapter Book Series for Younger Readers:

Anna Hibiscus: Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa, "Amazing Africa." A warm-hearted multicultural story. Advanced.

Bed & Biscuit: Grandpa Bender, a veterinarian, boards animals at the Bed & Biscuit. Advanced.

Breyer Stablemates: Young girls who love horses will love these stories and learn facts about horses, too.

Buddy Files: Buddy, a dog, devotes himself to taking care of his boy, Connor, and to solving mysteries.

Cam Jansen: Cam uses her photographic memory to solve mysteries.

Dinosaur Cove: Two boys travel back in time to the days of dinosaurs. Advanced.

Down Girl and Sit: Two busy dogs who think they are named "Down Girl" and "Sit" work hard to train their masters.

Flat Stanley: Flat Stanley has returned.  See both his original adventures and his new "Worldwide Adventures."

Fluffy the Classroom Guinea Pig: Fluffy relates his own hilarious version of day-to-day classroom life. Easy.

Fly Guy: As a pet fly, Fly Guy has adventures with his boy, just like Lassie used to do (sort of). Easy.

Henry and Mudge: Young Henry and his very large dog Mudge have fun together through all the seasons. Easy.

Magic Tree House: Long-time favorites of children who can read longer chapters; a brother and sister travel in time.

Mercy Watson: Mercy Watson is a pet pig who keeps the neighborhood crime-free and eats a lot of buttered toast.

Miami Jackson: Nine-year old Miami Jackson deals with a strict teacher, baseball camp, and other challenges.

Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Nine-year-old Alexandrea takes ballet classes and makes friends in Harlem.

Time Warp Trio: This long-running series is a favorite of boys. Magic, adventure, and history mix easily. Advanced.

Young Cam Jansen: Stories of Cam's earlier years, matched with easier reading levels.

  

Cooking with Montessori

 

Food and its preparation play an intrinsic part in a Montessori education.  In Early Childhood classes the children learn with practical life materials how to pour, measure, cut, and chop.  They learn grace and courtesy by serving and accepting food items.  Sometimes Lower Elementary children continue the use of these skills by preparing their snacks as a group exercise in the school’s kitchen.  As part of their cultural studies, the children taste, as well as make, foods from many foreign cultures.  It is at this time that many children, both girls and boys, show a keen curiosity about food and cooking.  The incorporation of different foods into the curriculum continues through Upper Elementary and Junior High.  Their culinary skills and tastes expand as knowledge of their surrounding world develops.  This past year the Junior High students took part in TMA’s International Festival by creating a diverse sampling of ethnic dishes.

TMA’s Library contains many books on food and its preparation at different learning levels.  Beginning cooks might start with The Children’s Step-By-Step Cookbook.  The Library has children’s cookbooks by Emeril Lagasse and well known food editors from Better Homes and Gardens, Cooking Light, Williams and Sonoma, and Disney.  More experienced cooks might like to try Kid Favorites Made Healthy, The Magic Kitchen Cookbook or The International Cookbook for Kids.  Perhaps your child would like to have a tea party or a sleepover.  The Library can help with copies of Come to Tea, Let’s Have a Tea Party!, The Sleepover Cookbook, and Super-Duper Cupcakes.  There is even a book on how to have a Japanese tea ceremony.  Maybe young cooks would like to check out the After School Snacks Cookbook, Silly Snacks: Family Fun in the Kitchen or the Cheerios Cookbook.

Your young cook’s interest might be sparked by history.  TMA’s Library can take students on a journey across North America with Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking, Colonial Cooking, and Food for the Settler.  Perhaps you have a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books.  The Library has a copy of The Little House Cookbook based on the frontier foods from her stories.

For the cook who is dreaming of becoming a world traveler, he or she can get a start by creating and tasting ethnic foods.  TMA’s Library can make it possible.  The Library has three excellent series of books that cover many countries and continents of the world.  Sampling books from each of these series (“A Taste of Culture,” “Food and Festivals,” and “Food and Recipes of…”) will get their gastronomical tour started.

Cooking together is a wonderful way to expand Montessori into the home.  Within a prepared environment a child is focused on a purposeful activity.  The child gets to taste and explore the cultural history of each food.  Let’s face it: cooking and eating together is just plain fun.  The Montessori Academy Library is here to help make it happen.

                                                                                                Linda Meyer

                                                                                                Library Assistant

Tapas

Name of Activity:      Tapas – Pa amb Oli

Materials:         Sliced rye bread, garlic cloves, tomatoes, olive oil, olive sprayer, salt, serving utensils, plates, toaster oven.

                             The recipe came from: http://www.spain-recipes.com/spanish_tapas.html    

                                  

Presentation of the Lesson:

1.  Teacher arranges bread on tray.  Lay out tongs.

2.  Teacher slices garlic thinly; arranges on tray.  Lay out tongs.

3.  Teacher slices tomatoes; arranges on tray.  Lay out tongs.

4.  Teacher pumps oil sprayer.

5.  Teacher sets out salt shaker.

6.  Invite children to the lesson.  Give the name of the work: Pa amb Oli (bread with olive oil).

     Explain that Tapas is a traditional snack or sometimes lunch in Spain.  Tapas are an

     important part of Spanish cuisine.  Tapas restaurants are very popular in Spain.

7.  Have the children each place one slice of bread in the toaster oven.

8.  Toast the bread in the toaster oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes or until golden

     and crisp.

9.  Demonstrate how to remove a slice of bread and place on a plate.  Rub the bread with one

     slice of garlic, then discard garlic.  Rub bread with one slice of tomato, squeezing juice

     and pulp onto bread.  Pump two sprays of olive oil onto bread.  Sprinkle with salt.

   

  Enjoy!

Sources:  Based on a presentation by Debra Gorman Cagle, Practical Life Instructor, MTA/IUSB, 2011.

                  Adapted by Lois Burns, MTA/IUSB, 2012.

Montessori in the Home: Possible home responsibilities for ages five to six

•Helping with meal planning and grocery shopping

•Pouring own drink

•Preparing the dinner table

•Tearing up lettuce for a salad

•Helping to add ingredients to a recipe

•Choosing an outfit for the day and dressing self

•Scrubbing the sink

•Cleaning mirrors or windows

•Separating laundry

•Folding clothes

•Helping clean the car

•Taking out recycling

•Feeing pets

•Learning to tie shoes 

•Water plants      

 

 

 

   

Montessori in the Home: Possible home responsibilities for ages three to five:

•Setting the table

•Putting groceries away

•Help with grocery shopping and creating the shopping list

•Follow a schedule for feeding pets

•Help with yard and garden care

•Help do the dishes or fill the dishwasher

•Dust the furniture

•Spread butter or cream cheese on toast or bagel

•Prepare cold cereal

•Help prepare plates for family dinner

•Hold the hand mixer to whip potatoes  or quiche

•Get the mail or newspaper

•Share toys with friends (practice courtesy)

•Play without constant adult supervision

•Sharpen pencils

•Wash hair

BOOK FAIR LUAU

There will be some changes coming to TMA’s Library in the next few weeks!  The Book Fair Luau will be making a festive stop at our school from Wednesday, May 9^th, to Tuesday, May 15^th.  Hours during school days will be 8:20am to 5:00pm.  Saturday, May 12^th, will be family day, with the Fair being open from 10:00am to 4:00pm.  Parents will have the chance to choose books with their children for their summer reading enjoyment.

The Library will be turned into a fun beach-themed luau with tikis, surf boards, and hanging palms.  One of the books being offered with this theme will be Pig Kahuna. In this picture book, two little pigs discover some beach fun with a surf board.  Froggy and his family have a warm Aloha when Froggy Goes to Hawaii.

Since this year marks the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, several Titanic books will be available. There will be a special two-book set from Magic Tree House: Tonight on the Titanic and a companion nonfiction “Fact Tracker” book to answer all of your Titanic questions.  Remembering the Titanic follows specific people who worked on the Titanic or were her passengers.  It starts with her building, tells of her crash and sinking, and finishes with the eventual rescue of the survivors.

These and many, many more books of different reading levels and on a wide range of subjects will be available under the swaying palms.  There’s sure to be something for all the readers in the family.  See you at the Book Fair Luau.  Mahalo!

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